The Bluetooth communications protocol (Bluetooth is a trademark of Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson) is a wireless radio short range communications protocol enabling devices such as mobile telephones, computers and other electronic devices to communicate with each other over short ranges. When communicating using this protocol, a Bluetooth radio unit transmits over the wireless link a unique identity number that enables other devices to identify and address the Bluetooth radio unit. While use of the unique identity number is necessary for operation of units using the Bluetooth communications protocol, this requirement represents a threat to the security and privacy of people that carry a Bluetooth device.
This is due to the fact that the presence of a Bluetooth device can be established through identification of its unique identity number. If someone can register the presence of a specific Bluetooth unit and has also been able to identify a particular individual using this device, this person may identify through the presence of the Bluetooth device that the specific person is present within a particular location. In some circumstances this type of identification procedure may be highly undesirable. Thus, the need has arisen for some method of interaction among Bluetooth devices that does not necessarily provide the identity of the Bluetooth device, and hence the individual using the device is not made readily available.